


The Ballad of L'Manburg

by Linforlmanburg



Series: Songs of the SMP [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: DreamSMP - Freeform, I'm sorry for the ending, Minecraft, dramatic as heck, l'manburg, no beta we die like tommy's last canon life, seriously how do I tag I'm new here, when some songs are just PERFECT for your fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-21 11:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30021393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linforlmanburg/pseuds/Linforlmanburg
Summary: Brothers Wilbur and Tommy have always lived a quiet and peaceful life in the countryside, with their parents at the cottage in the vale. But when rebel and outlaw Niki joins them after the wicked dictator Clay kills her whole family, she sets off a chain of events that lead to the birth of a symphony called L'Manburg.**not all events are true to smp cannon as I changed some things for plot's sake don't hate me xx**
Series: Songs of the SMP [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208444
Comments: 6
Kudos: 1





	1. The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter but you have to get that ~exposition~  
> feel free to leave a comment with suggestions or feedback and I'll see yall tomorrow!!

Ever since I was a child, I knew I would have to be a leader. I was the oldest in my family, and I always had to watch over my little brother, Tommy. While I did not mind it, for I loved Tommy, it forced me into a role of leadership that I would not have assumed otherwise. My days at the cottage in the vale were peaceful, though the whispers of the government in the far away capital city occasionally stirred through our trees, I did not mind them, for what boy cares about the government when there are trees to be climbed and rivers to swim in? 

I taught Tommy to swim, we played soldiers, we raced around the valley in the day, pretending to be in the army. At night, I watched my father slowly strum the chords of his guitar in wonder, watching as he coaxed sweet melodies from the simple wooden instrument. I vowed that one day, I would have a guitar of my very own. 

I received two gifts on my twelfth birthday, both of them instrumental to my identity. The first gift was a diamond sword, sharp as the wind as just as beautiful. By now, the breezes of the government had become a full blown gale, showering Tommy and I with names like Clay, the leader of the government who wore a mask over his face at all times, his henchmen Goerge, who was as hated as snow in summer, the wicked rule enforcer who went by Nick, and a wild rouge who had just risen through the ranks of the government, called Technoblade, for his gift with a sword. I wasn’t worried about the government, but I should have seen the sword as a warning of things to come. _Use it carefully, Wilbur, and swing it with justice in your heart, _my father told me as he pressed the sword into my hands. My second gift was one that I appreciated more than anything at the time: a guitar. Tommy and I sat in the valley for hours that day, my fingers falling clumsily over the chords, but I kept my fingers at the strings of the guitar until they bled, and blood stained the strings as I played my first chord.__

____

____

I was thirteen when Tommy turned twelve, and received a sword of his own, though it could not rival the deadly beauty of my diamond one. His sword was simple steel, but it was just as sharp as mine. That summer, we sparred day and night, our swords shrieking as they met each other. I could best Tommy nine times out of ten, as his emotions often got the best of him and he would lose sight of the little things that were the difference between winning and losing a fight. Tommy also received a gift that made me jealous as the stars are of the sun: our mother’s music discs. Named Cat and Mellohi, they were our mother’s most prized possessions, a priceless family heirloom passed down from mother to daughter, father to son. 

Tommy guarded those discs with his life, as we were told to, as was our family’s custom. But now, there were rules in place about what you could and couldn’t own, what possessions belonged to the government and what didn’t. Tommy told me he would rather die than hand over Cat and Mellohi, and while I’d only nodded at him gravely, I was proud of his dedication.


	2. Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god the *tragedy*  
> I hope yall like Niki she's my favorite character so far!  
> anyway see yall tommrow for chapter three!! :)

I was fifteen and Tommy was fourteen when Niki first arrived at the vale. We were sparring, the breeze stirring both of our hair and sending leaves swirling down from the iron grey sky. I’d looked up from my sword to see a girl standing at the entrance to the clearing, the wind pulling at strands of her short blonde hair and the loose lavender fabric of her shirt. A sword was strapped to her back, and her small, pale face was set in determination. 

“Who are you?” Tommy asked, his hands tightening around the hilt of his sword. I held my hand out to stay him, we didn’t need this girl’s blood on our hands. The girl made no move to defend herself, only lifting her chin to look at Tommy accusingly. 

“My name is Niki.” she said calmly, her words tinted with a high, musical accent. I slipped my sword back into my sheath, taking a few steps towards her. As I neared her, I saw her eyes were dark as the packed brown earth below us, and light, coffee colored freckles dotted the skin of her face. 

“Hello, Niki. I’m Wilbur, and this is my brother Tommy. Can we help you?” I asked diplomatically, giving her a small smile. Niki did not smile at me, her eyes as accusing as her expression as she looked me up and down. 

“My entire family, my mother, my father, my six year old brother, my seventeen year old sister, and my three year old niece, have been _murdered _by Clay and his henchmen. I am here because they burned my house to the ground and I have nowhere else to go.” she says, her voice hard as metal and just as unforgiving, but as she speaks, a single tear rolls down her cheek, cutting a trail through the layer of dust and grime that had collected there. I hear Tommy’s curse behind me, feel my own mouth open in shock as I take her in.__

____

____

“Oh, Niki…” I breathed, and as I did, Niki threw herself at me, and I caught her, stumbling back a few steps as she buried her face into my shoulder. I looked desperately at Tommy, I had little experience with any girls my age, let alone crying ones with swords. Tommy looks just as confused, his eyebrows in danger of touching each other. Awkwardly, I put my arms around Niki, running my hands through her choppy hair. 

“I won’t let them hurt you, Niki.” I whispered to her, and from then on, we were friends. 

By the time I was seventeen, Tommy and I had been joined by Niki, Tommy’s best friend Toby, and a boy from our school down the road, Eret. The five of us were as thick as thieves, meeting every day at my house to discuss our plans in life and the government, who each of us hated with a passion. Niki had vowed to destroy any ally of the government without mercy, a vow I’d seen her act upon with vengeance when a man who idolized Clay and his cronies stopped by our house to spread his lies and propaganda. His head was on the ground after he’d spoken three words. The government hadn’t touched us here yet, as we lived in one of the farthest outposts of the country, but they would reach us soon enough. And though I would never admit it, I feared that day. 

“They say whispers of revolution fly throughout the countryside.” Niki said, throwing open the door to the house and stepping inside the living room, where I sat in a chair near the fireplace, my gaze lost in the flames. Tommy and Toby were examining Tommy’s sword, and Eret watched them carefully. I looked up at Niki, her cheeks were stained red from the cold as she walked towards the fireplace. 

“Where’d you hear that, Niki?” Eret asked, looking away from Tommy and Toby and towards Niki, who sat down in front of the fireplace, stretching her hands out over the flames to warm them. 

“Everywhere. Apparently there are rebel bases, ready to start a new country and declare independence from Clay, George, Nick, and Technoblade.” Niki says excitedly, drawing her knees up to her chest. My gaze flicked to her, the news of rebel bases could change two years of planning into a reality. Tommy flicked his sword back into its sheath, turning his discs over and over in his hands, a nervous habit. Toby ran his hands through his hair. Silence fell over the room, the only sound the slight pop of embers in the fireplace. A knock sounded at the door, shattering the delicate silence and making Toby jump. My eyes went to Tommy, and he nodded slightly at me, slipping the discs back into his pocket. Niki’s hand goes to the sword she always carried, and she pushes herself to her feet, eyeing the door wearily. I stood up from my chair, walking towards the door carefully before wrenching the door open. Four men stood there, dressed in light green cavalry uniforms. _Clay’s men._

____

____

“Is this the Soot residence?” one of them asks conversationally. I nod, trying to swallow my fear. I could hear the light tap of footsteps behind me, hear whispers, but I kept my eyes on the men. I nod carefully, fighting the urge to grip the hilt of my sword. 

“And Wilbur, Tommy, Martha, and David reside here?” another one of them asks, looking down at a slip of paper. I nod again, not trusting my voice not to break and shatter when I used it. The man with the paper smiled nastily, taking a step towards me. I took a step back, alarmed. 

“Then I’m afraid you’ve been convicted of treason and are under arrest for sheltering and harboring a wanted criminal by the name of Niki Nihachu.” he says, and before I can act, he leaps towards me, pinning my hands behind my back. I hear screams from the living room, hear the hiss of blades being drawn from sheathes, as I was pushed to the ground, the stone floor grating against the skin of my cheek. I hear Niki’s cry of “run!”, hear the back door swing open, hear the pounding of footsteps and Tommy’s wild voice as he, Eret, and Toby flee. A foot steps between my shoulder blades, pinning me to the ground. I didn’t know where my parents were, but I could only hope they were safe. I lifted my head to demand something of Clay’s men, but as I did, the blunt edge of a sword cracked down on my head, turning my vision red then black then white. The world seemed to lull, the pain distorting my vision and making time gallop and stretch in bursts. I heard Niki shouting more than once, heard the clash of blades, felt myself being moved, and finally, the hiss of a match and the scent of smoke. 

“Wilbur, Wilbur, wake up. Get up. _Wilbur! _” I can hear the desperation in Niki’s voice as she shouts my name, I forced my hand away from my body and reached into the air, feeling her fingers grasp mine. She pulls me to my feet, and the world swims again, and I lean onto her shoulder.__

____

____

“Wilbur, we have to get out of here. We’re locked in the living room, and they’ve set the place on fire.” Niki says, and her words barely register with me. I hear her swear, hear the shattering sound of glass breaking. In a daze, I half crawl and am half pushed out the window, the clear November air a sharp contrast to the hazy smoke that had filled my living room. I collapse onto the grass, but Niki pulls me to my feet again, running, grabbing my hand to pull me along. I ran blindly, following the blur of lavender and blonde hair that was all I could see of Niki. I forced myself to put one foot on front of the other, even as my lungs screamed for air and my head begged me to stop. The day blurs into night, but Niki’s fingers never loosen on mine. After what feels like years, she slows down, shouting something. I recognize my brother’s voice and follow it, feeling his arms around me. 

“My parents.” I ask Niki, my voice a horse croak. I see Niki’s head shake, her hair falling wildy around her shoulders. 

“I’m sorry, Wilbur. Clay’s men killed them.” she says, and I feel myself slid to the ground, bringing my brother with him. Tommy whispers something to me, but I don’t hear it, don’t hear anything, until an object is pressed into my hands. I feel it blindly, my fingers running over it. And I smile as tears roll down my face and I hug my guitar close to my chest.


	3. Declaration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally can't hear the anthem without crying these days  
> also idk if yall saw but *helium!!!!*  
> anyway I hope you enjoy! as always feel free to leave any comments/suggestions/encouragement!!

Living in rebel camps was something I never imagined I would do. And I certainly didn’t expect for Tommy, Niki, Toby, Eret, and I to be made leaders of the rebel army. After the death of our parents, Tommy and I had taken it upon us to see that the revolution against Clay, Nick, George, and Technoblade succeeded. We had chosen a large chunk of land of the countryside to make our own country out of, and already wall construction had begun, defending us from Clay’s men. Black and yellow, and nearly ten feet tall, it marked the borders of our new country- L’Manburg. I knew we were all living on borrowed time until Clay found out about it, but for now, we were gathering all the resources we could get. I oversaw most of the general planning, Niki oversaw resources and technology, Tommy and Toby oversaw the building of the wall, and Eret was a spy, gaining information about Clay and his men.  
Though we were all blindsided when Clay himself came to the walls of L’Manburg. It was the first time I’d seen him in person, with his simple light green dress and his mask of a simple smiling face. At his right hand side was George, and at his left was Nick. Behind them was the man known as Technoblade, with the mask with the likeness of a pig over his face, wearing a crown and a red cape. I drew my diamond sword and started to climb down the wall, ignoring my brother’s shouts to stop. Clay stepped off his horse, as did Goerge, but both Nick and Technoblade stayed mounted. 

“What is this, Wilbur?” Clay demanded, and I was surprised he knew my name. I gestured at the walls behind me, at the soldiers lining the top of it, a smile on my face. 

“This is our country. This is L’Manburg. We are succeeding from your country and we will be our own country.” I said, and George unsheathes his sword, a diamond sword like mine, but Clay only considers the walls, his mask projecting an image of eerie calm on his face. 

“And I, as your king, can do nothing to stop this?” he asks, and I detect a note of wistfulness in his voice. He surveys the wall again, and I fight the urge to look behind me, to check on my brother, and on Niki and Toby and Eret. 

“No. You can try, but you can do nothing to stop us.” I said, and Clay sighs, his mask moving slightly as he does. His horse whinnies behind him, and he turns back to it, running a hand down its nose to calm it. 

“Then tomorrow at dawn, Wilbur, if I do not see white flags from inside your city, I will declare war on L’Manburg and I will destroy it.” he says, and with that, he mounts his horse, followed by Goerge. He tips the edge of his mask to me before clapping his heels to the sides of his horse and galloping away. Shaken, I climbed back up the wall, where Tommy and the others awaited me. 

“Sharpen your swords,” I said, and I see a ghost of a smile flit across Eret’s face, “we’re going to war.” 

The ink of the L’Manburg declaration of independence hadn’t yet dried, but at first light, we would be heading to war. Clay had promised to destroy our city if we didn’t surrender, but I knew that we would rather die than surrender L’Manburg. I paced through the camp, watching as the sky darkened and became speckled with stars. I knew that trying to sleep would be futile, so I walked through the camp, near the barriers of L’Manburg, thinking. Tomorrow we would either have our independence or we would be dead. But being dead would be better than being slaves to Clay. The faint sound of guitar music ringing out from the far side of camp makes me snap my head up, I follow the notes and high voice that sings a simple melody. 

“You’re up too late. You should be sleeping, Niki.” I said quietly, leaning on the back of Niki’s chair and resting my hands on her shoulders. She leaned back, looking up from her guitar at me. 

“I could say the same to you, Wilbur.” she said, turning back to the guitar. I look over her shoulder to see paper spread out before her, crossed with lines and dotted with notes. Sheet music.

“What are you writing?” I asked her, and she smiled, letting out a breath and picking up the sheet music before her. I see her fingers are stained with ink, and fingerprints are smudged in the corners of the paper.

“Something I thought of a while ago. A national anthem for L’Manburg. If we’re going to be a country, we’ll need one.” she said with a hollow laugh. I squint at the music, I could barely see it under the light of the pearly half moon.

“Could you play it for me?” I asked her, and she nods, looking away from me and looking back at the guitar, he fingers plucking out a few chords before she sings. 

_“I heard there was a special place,  
where men could go and emancipate,  
the brutality and tyranny of their rulers.  
Well, this place is real, you needn’t fret,  
with Wilbur, Tommy, Toby, Niki, and Eret  
A very big and not blown up L’Manburg.” ___

__Niki finishes her song with a final strum of the guitar, and I clap softly for her. She smiles at me, a genuine smile. It was something I’d always admired about Niki, her earnesty and her kindness, even in the most dire of situations._ _

__“Do you like it?” she asks me, and I nod, looking up at the stars above both of our heads, which had already started to fade. A faint glow began to light the sky to the east, signaling the coming of the dawn._ _

__“Come, Niki,” I said, twisting my fingers through hers and pulling her to her feet, “let us go fight a revolution.”_ _


	4. Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the shorter chapter motivation did not go brrr today   
> I watched the vod where eret betrayed them while I was writing this and it was *powerful*  
> thats all for now see yall tomorrow!!

For as long as I live, I will not forget that first battle of L’Manburg. We had amassed nine stacks of emeralds and weapons, and our troops stood at the borders, dressed in army uniforms of dark blue, white, and red, with Niki’s coat being a light shade of lavender. The first crack of gunshots had echoed out just three minutes after dawn, and the war had begun. We stood at the top of the tallest tower along the wall of L’manburg, the one with only one entrance, and we had made our stand. The fighting was bloody and brutal, though we were able to hold out until our own tower fell under siege. I heard the footsteps from almost inside the walls, saw the confusion on my friend's faces, heard the unsheathing of weapons, until Clay’s soldiers burst through the wall of the tower, from an entrance we didn’t know existed. 

And we fled. I am ashamed that we fled, for I knew that I should have stayed and defended the tower, but we didn’t. We ran. I remember the panic on my brother’s face when he fell with Clay’s soldiers on his heels, remember Toby’s scream, remember the way Toby had carried my brother as we ran, holding off some of Clay’s soldiers as he did. I remember thinking that the war had been lost that very day. It is still a mystery to me how we reached a stalemate that day, how when night fell, we were able to regroup and discuss battle strategies, how we were still alive. But L’Manburg had not fallen to Clay yet, and our first half victory gave us the strength to keep fighting. 

Two months into the war, Eret announced he had something to show us. We thought he had found more resources, or crafted new weapons, and we were eager to see whatever he had made. He led us far underground, through a low lit stone tunnel and into a small room, labeled ‘final control room.’ Against the walls, there were chests, each labeled with our names, but when I flipped the lid of mine open, it was empty. Then I noticed the button in the middle of the room. 

“What is this, Eret?” I demanded, turning to face him. Eret looked at us with a strange smile on his face, leaning on the wall of the subterranean chamber. 

“Down with the revolution, Wilbur. It was never meant to be.” he said, holding two fingers to his brow in a salute, and before I could make heads or tails of what was happening, he pushed the button. For a moment, dead silence fell, before a pair of hidden doors squeaked open, and Clay’s soldier's filled the room. We’d been betrayed. Eret betrayed us for Clay. As we fled the room, barely able to defend ourselves, my brother yelled his parting words at Eret. 

“I mean this in the nicest way possible, Eret, but you fucked up.” he yelled as he wildly swung his sword, desperately trying to hold Clay’s soldiers at bay. The look in Niki’s eyes rivaled the fury of a thunderstorm as she glared at Eret over her sword, letting him know that what he had done was unforgivable. It was only when we reached the top of the tunnel, barricading the door behind us, that we realized that all of our supplies had been stored in a tunnel just off that room. Not only had Eret betrayed us, but he’d just handed a good chunk of our supplies to Clay. We would not be able to keep fighting without those resources. Niki swore viciously, wiping the blood off her sword on her coat, staining the pale lavender fabric with blood.

“Do you know what this means, Wilbur?” she asked me, and though her voice was furious, I could hear tears choking her words, “We’re going to have to negotiate with Clay.”


	5. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got the inspo for this chapter at 35000 feet in the air which I thought was pretty swag  
> anyway wholesome wilbur and niki pog!!  
> very excited for tomorrow's chapter see yall then!!

Two weeks later, Tommy and I approached the walls of L’Manburg, a white flag of truce held in Tommy’s hands. We stepped off our horses, drawing our swords and climbing the walls of L’Manburg, to see Clay waiting for us, and next to him, George, a white flag planted next to him. 

“Tommy. Wilbur,” Clay says, his mask once again betraying no emotion. Sometimes, I wondered what face lay under the simple smiling face the mask projected, “You asked to meet with me.” I nodded, quickly glancing over my shoulder at Tommy, who gave me a nod of engagement. 

“Clay, we don’t have to fight. Your resources are running low, as are ours. So I’m asking you, man to man, if L’Manburg can have it’s freedom and emancipation. There doesn’t need to be any more war, or fighting. Just please, please, let us be free.” I said, my voice almost begging him as I spoke. I held my hands out in front of me, showing the desperation behind my request. George sneers at me, flicking his eyes up and down Tommy. Tommy lifts his chin, looking right back at Goerge. 

“I want to see white flags flying from the masts of your city in thirty minutes. If I don’t I will blow L’Manburg to bits, and you will be dead.” Clay said, his voice harsh and unforgiving. I feel Tommy’s eyes on the side of my face, but I keep my eyes leveled at Clay. 

“You’re bluffing. You don’t have a tenth of the explosives it would take to blow up L’Manburg.” I said levely, my eyes narrowed at Clay. Goerge makes a small sound, half a snort and half a laugh. 

“Thirty minutes, Wilbur.” Clay said cryptically, before motioning at George, who gave us a mocking bow before turning to follow Clay away from us. 

“Do you think they’ll do it, Wilbur?” Tommy asked as we walked back up the wall, sheathing our swords. I shook my head, rolling my eyes at him. 

“There’s no way, Tommy. They don’t have enough explosives, and besides, we’d know if they had planted them. They were just trying to get us to surrender.” I say bitterly, and Tommy nods, but I can tell he’s not convinced. I stop walking for a second, throwing an arm around my brother’s shoulders. 

“Come on, Tommy, nothing bad’s going to happen. Let’s go tell Niki and Toby about our adventures.” I said lightheartedly, and though Tommy doesn’t speak, he wraps his arm around my shoulders as we head back into L’Manburg. 

Tommy, Niki, Toby, and I were sitting in our base when we heard the first explosion. Niki leapt to her feet, her hand going to her sword. Toby grabbed Tommy’s arm, and I rose to my feet unsteadily, my eyes going to the clock and seeing it had been exactly thirty minutes since our negotiation with Clay. 

And then the world exploded, and I was thrown in the air, my body soaring through the room and smashing into the wall. I could hear Toby screaming, could feel my own head throbbing, but I pushed myself to my feet, calling Niki’s name desperately as I did. I saw her stand up, her lavender coat covered in dust, just two paces away from me. As the world exploded again, I threw myself at her, pinning her to the ground shielding her from the flying prices of metal and stone cartwheeling through the air. I could feel objects hitting my body, feel the sharp sting when they did, but nothing could hurt me as long as Niki was safe.


	6. The Duel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is my child and I love it more than anything  
> also I learned how to snowboard today pog!!  
> whatever thats not important see yall tomorrow :)

In the days after the explosion, we hardly left Toby’s bedside. Almost half of L’Manburg had been rigged with explosives that I was sure Eret had planted when he betrayed us. If we had been in a bad situation then, we were in a worse one now. Toby hovered near the brink of death, having sustained massive injuries from the explosions. He was unconscious most of the time, though occasionally he would say Tommy’s name in his stupor. I didn’t remember Tommy leaving that morning, but I remembered his return, remembered how he was shaking head to toe, remembered how he couldn’t look Niki or I in the eyes as he sat down in a chair beside Toby’s bed. 

“I did something bad, Wilbur.” he confessed. I heard Niki suck in a breath, but she put her arm on Tommy’s shoulder, comforting him. Tommy managed to smile at her, but the smile was laced with nerves. 

“I saw Clay outside the walls and I was so mad, I could barely think so I- I challenged him to a duel.” Tommy says, the words leaving him in a panicked rush. I gasped, as did Niki. Tommy hung his head in his hands, looking at Toby before looking back at us. 

“A duel for what?” Niki asked, her accent tilting her words strongly, as it did whenever she was sad or upset. Tommy slowly lifted his eyes to look at her, looking up from the dirt stained cuffs of his coat and at Niki’s warm brown eyes. 

“A duel for L’Manburg. One arrow each. If I win, we get our freedom and independence. If he wins, we have to surrender.” he says, finally looking at me. I didn’t know what to feel, proud of Tommy, or scared for L’Manburg, or angry at Clay for forcing my brother to risk his life for his own freedom. 

“When is it?” I said finally, and Tommy looked at me desperately, unshed tears gleaming in his eyes. 

“Three weeks from now. Please- please don’t hate me, Wilbur.” he says, and the first of the tears begins to fall from his startlingly blue eyes. Niki stands up and embraces him, whispering something to him under her breath that I can’t make out. When she releases him, Tommy looks at me hesitantly, unsure what to do. I stood up with a sigh and extended my arms towards him, as I had done when we were children at the cottage in the vale. Tommy embraces me hard, his arms nearly crushing my ribs, his tears staining my royal blue coat. Sometimes, I forgot that Tommy was only sixteen years old, he acted twice his age and bore each scar of this war proudly. 

“I could never hate you, Tommy. You’re my brother.” I said to him, and Tommy only cried harder as I ran my hands through his straw colored hair. I looked at Niki over his head, and she smiled at me, though her smile was weary. The fate of L’Manburg rested on my brother’s young shoulders, and I could only hope he could bear it. 

The morning of the duel dawned clear and cold, with a sky pale as pearls. Toby had begun to recover from his injuries, and would be able to walk soon. I was working in the tiny, hidden room I had created in the past three weeks. Inspired by Eret’s betrayal, I had built myself a control room, with a button that had the power to detonate not just half of L’Manburg, but the entire country, from the wall to the sea. 

In the walls, I had etched the words of Niki’s anthem, replacing the lyric ‘Wilbur, Tommy, Toby, Niki, and Eret,’ with ‘Wilbur, Tommy, Toby, Niki, not Eret.’ Paper scattered the floor, but I had met my goal and finished the room and rigged the button to the TNT by the day of Tommy’s duel. If Tommy didn’t win, I would blow up all of L’Manburg. I walked up through the tunnels that led back to our base, the light of day shining harshly on my eyes which had become accustomed to the dark of my control room. 

As I entered the main hall of our base, I saw Toby standing before Tommy, straightening his navy coat and speaking to him earnestly. Tommy nodded, and they shook hands and embraced. I wondered if I was witnessing a goodbye. Tommy turned away from Toby and faced me, his bow slung over his shoulder and a quiver with a single arrow on his back. 

“Where have you been, Wilbur?” he asked, and I shook my head dismissively, not wanting to tell anyone my secret plan. I walked over to him and embraced him quickly, looking into his eyes. 

“Where’s Niki?” he asked quietly.

“I’m here.” Niki’s voice said from behind us, and I turned to see her leaning against the wall, her lavender coat clean, her sword strapped to her back as always. She walked over to us, giving me a brief smile as she did. 

“Do I shoot him, Wilbur, or do I aim for the skies?” Tommy asked me anxiously. I sighed, feeling Niki and Toby’s eyes on my face. 

“I want you to do whatever your heart says you should do. Just meet him face to face.” I said quietly, and I felt Niki’s hand brush my own, she must have agreed with my words. 

“Shall we go fight a duel, Tommy?” she asks him, and he nods, smiling just for her as we make our way to the walls of L’Manburg. 

Thirty minutes later, Niki and I stood on top of the walls of L’Manburg, looking down at where Tommy and Clay stood thirty paces apart, with George and Technoblade watching them carefully. I saw Goerge’s lips move, most likely reciting the terms of the duel, but I could not hear him over the sound of my heart galloping frantically in my chest. 

I saw Tommy and Clay both knock an arrow in their bows, felt Niki take my hand, her fingers cold as she gripped mine. For a second the world was silent as they aimed at each other. And then Technoblade lifted a trumpet to his lips and blew a single, terrible note. It happened all too fast, the creak of the bows, the snap of the strings as they released arrows, the whistle of arrows through the air- and the sickening thud of Clay’s arrow burying itself in my brother’s shoulder, and the whistle of Tommy’s arrow as it shot into the sky.


	7. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L'Manburg independence pog!!  
> I would seriously like to apologize for my wacky uploading schedule I'm traveling so it's a little hard to update :(  
> so excited for tomorrow's chapter I'm introducing a ~fun~ new character

“Now what?” Niki asked me as we sat by one of the last trees still standing in all of L’Manburg. I shook my head, leaning it back into the solid trunk of the tree with a sigh. 

“Now we surrender. In two hours, we turn over L’Manburg to Clay, and we are probably killed for treason.” I said wearily, and Niki only looked down at her sword, running her fingers across the blade. 

“I don’t want to leave L’Manburg, Wilbur. I want to keep fighting, I don’t want to leave my L’Mantree.” she said, and I laugh tiredly at the name. 

“What did you say?” I asked, and Niki smiled, standing to her feet and touching the leaves of the tree. 

“L’Mantree. My very own L’Mantree,” she said, and even through her sorrow and anger, I could see the pure joy on her face as she touched the tree, her smile lighting up her face as it always did, “I don’t want to die, Wilbur.” she said, and her voice was small and scared as she looked at me. I fought tears, I didn’t know what to tell Niki. We were going to die, there was no doubt about it, but how did you tell your best friend that?

“Do you remember what I said to you when you first arrived at the vale?” I asked her quietly, and Niki looked in the distance for a moment, a faint smile on her face as she remembered. 

“I mean that Niki. I won’t let them hurt you.” I said fiercely, and Niki nodded, leaning back into my arms, closing her eyes, and I realized this was the first time I had seen Niki accept defeat. I tucked a loose strand of her pale hair behind her ear, fighting the urge to lean against the tree in defeat. But I had to be strong for Niki, for my brother, who blamed himself for the loss of L’Manburg, and for Toby, who was terrified of what today’s proceedings would bring. But most importantly, I could not give up L’Manburg. I would go to my control room just after we surrendered and detonate L’Manburg. 

Two hours later, we stood in the main hall of our base, with Clay, George, Nick, and Technoblade facing us. 

“Good afternoon, Wilbur, Niki, Tommy, Toby.” Clay said, nodding at each of us in turn. I could not bring myself to smile at him, or even to nod at him. I only lifted my chin, looking at Clay’s mask, fighting tears. 

“Clay- wait,” said a voice behind me, and I turned over my shoulder to see Tommy walking towards Clay, his face determined, “if I give you these, will you let us go free?” he asks, and from the pocket of his coat, he draws our mother’s music discs, Cat and Mellohi. I sucked in a breath, and I saw Clay’s eyebrows rise over the top of his mask, saw Goerge just barely tame his surprised expression. 

“Cat and Mellohi,” Clay breathed, extending his hand to Tommy, who reluctantly handed over the discs, “I have not seen these in a lifetime.” he said, mostly to himself. I could see the conflicted expression on Tommy’s face as he watched Clay’s fingers stroke our family’s most prized possessions. 

“You would be willing to give these up for this country’s independence, Tommy?” Clay asks, his voice surprised. I see Tommy’s throat bob, his eyes close for just a second before he addresses Clay. 

“Yes, Clay, I would.” he says, and I hear the bittersweet note in his voice as he looks at the discs, not wanting to let them go. Clay only examines the discs further, running his fingers over the groves and ridges of the discs. I wanted to slap them out of his hands, but I could only stand, rooted to the ground, holding my breath as Tommy shot L’Manburg’s final shot. 

“Then I accept. Your independence for the discs, Tommy.” Clay says, slipping the discs in the pocket of his light green coat and reaching out his hand to shake Tommy’s, whose mouth falls open as he grips Clay’s hand in his own.

“Clay-” the man named Technoblade said, but Clay held up a hand, silencing him.

“Silence, Technoblade. Do not interfere with my dealings.” he said, and he reached his hand out to me. Shocked, I gripped it, I couldn’t believe he’d taken the deal. Clay shakes Toby’s hand, and presses Niki’s to the lips of his mask before facing us again. 

“I hope, one day, that our countries one day shall be friends, Wilbur.” he says to me, and I nod, stunned, as he motioned to George, Nick, and Technoblade to follow him as he walked out of our camp, leaving L’Manburg for the last time. For a second, silence fell in the hall as we looked at each other. 

And then the cheers began, echoing from down the halls and outside the camp, ringing throughout the hills of L’Manburg. They were nearly deafening, making the windows of the camp shake. Tommy embraced Toby as people began to flood the halls, cheering and celebrating. I spun Niki around, both of us crying tears of joy as we held each other. We were free. L’Manburg was free. I fell to my knees, tilting my head back and closing my eyes as the shouts shook the floor of the hall. After three years, I had made a place where Niki, Tommy, Toby and I could be safe. I kept my promise to Niki after all.


	8. The Intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had Hamilton on the mind today and it shows   
> look it's our favorite white boy Schlatt!!!

The first months of L’Manburg’s independence were some of the happiest of my life. I was elected President of L’Manburg itself, and I declared my brother 'treasury of state,’ Toby 'secretary of state,’ and I made Niki my vice president. Though the birth of a nation often brought many hardships with it, I had never been happier. I felt as if I was born to rule L’Manburg, and with Niki, Tommy, and Toby by my side, I could do no wrong. The one damper on my happiness was the loss of our mother’s discs. While Tommy smiled through most of the day, I knew that he hated himself for giving up Cat and Mellohi. Sometimes, I caught him scheming alone, or sometimes with Toby, crafting wild plans to win back his discs. 

Niki spent most of her days by her L’Mantree, writing or sketching when we were not debating what we should do with our L’Manburg. But all good things must come to an end, which they did with the arrival of Schlatt. From the moment I shook his hand, I knew I did not like him. There was a cold and calculating light in his eyes, and his smile seemed more like a leer than a true smile. Niki eye’s barley veiled her disgust as he kissed her hand, and I saw her discreetly wipe the back of her hand on her coat after he did. Schlatt proposed wild ideals, most of which were shot down, but the only one he was able to pass was the idea of an election of L’Manburg. Niki and I couldn’t vote against it, we would seem power hungry if we did, and without our vote, his motion passed. And so we prepared for our first election. 

Sometimes, when I watched Schlatt’s speeches, I could hardly believe he was real. He promised the people of L’Manburg wild promises that he could not keep, but the people believed him anyway. Niki and I campaigned bitterly, backed by my brother and Toby. I told the people of L’Manburg that I would not make outrageous promises, but I would make sure that their voice was heard. I could only hope that I could prove to them how dangerous Schlatt would be to our young country. I slept little, and Niki was the only one who could convince me to stop working after a hard day of campaigning. 

Tommy and Toby helped us the best they could, and I tried as hard as I could to hide the toll the election was taking on me from my brother, as I didn’t want him to worry about me when we already had the guilt of the loss of his discs hanging over his head. Toby tried to cheer me up in small ways that often brought a smile to my face, such as leaving small sketches of bees everywhere for me to find, and bringing me endless cups of tea while Niki and I worked. Niki and I often visited L’Mantree, which had evolved into a symbol of hope and dedication to L’Manburg, as it was the only tree that could not be destroyed through the war and the two times L’Manburg had been detonated, and although the people loved it, I doubted anyone could love it more than my Niki did. One day, I wanted someone to love me like Niki loved L’Mantree. 

“And Schlatt won’t even talk to me, no matter how much I write to him.” I groaned to Niki as we walked around the L’Mantree, leaning my head on her shoulder. Niki strokes my hair, her fingers lightly touching my scalp before she responds to me. 

“Ah, Wilbur, winning was easy,” she said, turning to face me, “but governing’s harder.”


End file.
